


Breathe

by Natecchi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Near Death Experiences, POV Draco Malfoy, Potions Accident, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:07:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26845618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natecchi/pseuds/Natecchi
Summary: Draco and Potter get paired for Potions class. And everything went more or less fine, until Potter messed up. Because Potter justhad tomess things up.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 3
Kudos: 213





	Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> First work in this fandom. Excuse the grammatical errors, or misspelled words. It's been three years since I wrote anything.

The walk to the Potions Class was unusually quiet for him that day. There was no Pansy, chattering his ears off, walking just a step behind and propping her books from time to time, while trying to tuck a strand of dark hair falling onto her side of face behind the ear. There was no Goyle, dragging his feet unwillingly at his right and frowning down from time to time at the book in his hand, as if it personally offended him. There was no Blaise, and his stupid, smirking face he made whenever he spotted some girl in the hallway. There was no Crabbe, munching on something as always, while unhurriedly stepping behind their group. _Oh, Merlin, Crabbe_.

Draco's steps faltered for a second before continuing at usual pace, his lips pulled down in a scowl. Father and his stupidly brilliant idea of making Draco go back to Hogwarts to finish his studies. People had more important things to worry about these days, not getting good marks. But he did it anyway. Maybe because Father looked rather worn out and Mother probably wanted Draco to take over family affairs earlier than he was supposed to. And for that, one needed NEWTs, a good career path ahead of them. He pushed the thought aside as soon as it came to his mind. He still had a whole year ahead to consider what to do after he's going to finish his studies. For now he had to focus on said studies.

Making his way around a corner, and down the large staircase, he found himself in the front of the Potions Class' old, creaky door. He remembered fondly the first time he stepped through it and the enormous fun he had in his first class. As memories of Professor Snape's cold yet rich voice, citing potions' ingredients and noting every specific effects they had in combination with others, his tiny hand scribbling on the parchment, and the occasional snicker shared between fellow Slytherin students behind his back, came flooding his mind, lingering behind his closed eyelids, it made his earlier scowl disappear, its place taking something akin a saddened smile. No matter what everyone thought, they had some fun years at Hogwarts. If not counting Dark Lord coming back and destroying everything they built up all those years.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and entered, looking around the almost empty classroom. About a dozen eight-year students were seated at randomly chosen places. He noticed a few Ravenclaws, by the windows, whispering to one another while shuffling pages of their books. Two Hufflepuffs, sitting together and gazing at the front desk, as if waiting for Slughorn to make his appearance. There was Granger and Potter, and a bunch of other Gryffindors, snickering and giggling and just being usual _idiots_. There were no other Slytherins and Draco winced inwardly. If only Snape knew, he would drag their butts there himself and make them sit through a twelve hours long lesson. 

He sighed and moved to one of the unoccupied desks and plopped himself on the chair. Now, when he thought about it, there where, in general, very few Slytherin students that returned for eighth year. No wonder, it was only him who took Advanced Potions classes. But being the only Slytherin in the room made him feel quite uncomfortable, not even mentioning the whispers and gazes he got around him on daily basis. Ex-Death Eater, Voldemort's bootlicker, _coward_. Draco, of course, didn't care what these stupid kids thought about him. Because they did _not know_ what they talked about. They couldn't even imagine the horrors he experienced while being on the other side and even if he wasn't a nice person, he wouldn't want them to know or go through what he did. He wouldn't want that for any teenager. 

Releasing the shuddering breath Draco didn't realize he was holding, he slowly started getting his parchment and quill, books and notes from his bag onto his desk. Just as he put his bag on the chair next to his, the classroom door swung open and Slughorn strolled leisurely into the room and to the front.

"Good day, everyone" Slughorn's booming voice bounced off the walls, getting everyone's attention and stopping the noise of chatter. "It's great to see so many talented students back to their studies," he continued, smiling at Potter as if he was the only one who Slughorn referred to. Draco snorted internally. If only their teacher knew that Potter was actually _cheating_ in their sixth year- Draco propped his chin on his hand and stared in Slughorn's general direction, not really paying attention to what he was saying anymore, mind drifting other places.

Draco was pulled out of his wandering thoughts when someone approached his desk and cleared their throat to get his attention. Silvery gray eyes focused and looked blankly at the person. "Potter." It came out like a hiss.

Bright green eyes, bored down into his, behind those round ridiculous spectacles. "Malfoy." Potter responded with a grunt and moved closer to Draco's desk.

When a blond, elegant eyebrow arched up questioningly, Potter just continued to move forward and around Draco's chair. He lifted Draco's bag from the chair next to his and put it on the desk, nudging it on Draco's side. Then he unceremoniously plopped himself on the chair and started to get things out of his bag. Draco was left speechless for a second. 

"Wait a moment," he held up a hand and Potter looked at him bemused "what the actual fuck, Potter?" Draco sneered.

"If you have any objections," Potter said as calmly as he could manage - because yes, Draco could feel irritation coming in waves off him - "tell Professor Slughorn. It wasn't _my_ idea."

As if he heard his name spoken out of the Golden Boy's mouth, Slughorn cheerfully waltzed through the classroom, around desks and Draco finally saw the changes in students' seating. It was different before. When Slughorn stopped in front of them, Potter's face wore something like an awkward smile. A very awkward one.

"Harry, my boy," Professor laughed and looked between them "I hope you and Mr. Malfoy here would make perfect partners. My two best students making one of the most complicated potions," his voice echoed and Draco had the urge to hide under his desk and come out when the class was over because no, he didn't want to get more attention on himself than he already had "I seriously can't wait for the outcome. Good luck, boys." Slughorn finished, and walked back to his own chair, sitting on it like a satisfied koala.

Draco blinked at him, turned his head and blinked at Potter. Potter had the audacity to let out a sigh.

"Look," Potter started, his tone tinged with exasperation, as if Draco was the one who told him to sit there "let's just get done with it."

" _Potter._ " Draco's voice was dangerously bordering on murderous and it was enough to make the Golden Boy look him in the eye. 

"Right." Potter mumbled pursing his lips. Then he stood up and went to the front cabinet to get the ingredients for their potion.

Draco watched him for a moment before looking down at his book. The potion they were supposed to brew was actually complicated but nothing Draco wouldn't be able to make perfectly. Now, if only Potter and his adrenaline driven brain would cooperate, not making this more complicated than it already seemed.

When Potter came back, hands full of ingredients, _right ones_ , Draco had to stop himself from giving Potter an appreciative hum. He pointed his wand under their cauldron, murmuring a soft _Incendio_ and started flipping through his book as soft glowing flames sparked to life and warmed the cauldron. Making a grab for his quill, Draco felt Potter hovering around, his breath ghosting on Draco's back of neck. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Sit the fuck down, Potter." Draco sighed as his hand smoothly slid across parchment, leaving behind letters written in neat cursive. He heard Potter grumble something under his nose and drop in the chair beside him with a huff but paid him no mind. When a hand reached out across his parchment, Draco actually did look up from it. He gave Potter his best scowl.

"What?" was Potter's response "We're supposed to work on it, _together_." The last word was spoken through gritted teeth and Draco could see, oh, he _could see_ that the Golden Boy didn't want this as much as Draco did. 

"As long as you don't mess with my work and do as _I_ say," Draco smirked when Potter's corner of mouth twitched down "then I don't mind you just being there."

"You can't be serious, Malfoy. I need to get my mark too." Potter said, indignation tinting his voice. "And for that," he continued "I have to make it with you."

"Now, look here, Potter," Draco said warningly "I do not care about your circumstances." When Potter wanted to object, he held a hand to make the other boy shut up. For Merlin's sake. "This a very complicated and _dangerous_ potion to brew." Potter's eyebrows shot up in surprise and Draco carried on "I don't know what Slughorn is thinking, trusting _you_ , the one who _cheated_ , " Potter's lips turned down in a scowl, but he didn't say anything. _So it was true_. "but I don't trust you to not mess up. So better stay away and let me do it."

Draco turned back to his parchment, and when he heard Potter sigh he raised his eyes in annoyance, ready to tell him to fuck off completely and go to ask Slughorn for another partner, but what came out of Potter's mouth stopped him from voicing his thoughts.

"Alright." Potter said, running a hand through his messy hair "I will follow your instructions. But you cannot expect me to do nothing."

Well, if that was the case... Draco flipped another page of his book before mumbling "Okay."

True to his word, Potter did as he was told. Stirred at the pace Draco showed him, passed the ingredients and looked over Draco's shoulder at his notes with actual interest. That or he just wanted to appear interested. Draco put his quill down and mused over a paragraph in the book for a moment. 

"What is it?" he heard Potter ask in a hushed tone.

"Nothing major." Draco said, his hand going up to his, now longer, hair and fingers playing with a strand, curling it. Bad habit he had when in deep thought, as his Father often said. His eyes landed on the old text book "It's just that something in this," he pointed with his other hand "seems weird to me."

Potter's head came in view as that leaned closer to the book and appeared to read where Draco pointed at. He hummed and turned his head to look at Draco. 

"I don't really see anything off," Potter said and added when Draco scoffed "but we may need to proceed with more precaution, I guess."

Draco nodded and hummed thoughtfully, getting the next ingredient. It said " _chop sides clockwise and add by small portions also clockwise_ ". He instructed Potter with that and continued reading, while throwing Potter glances to make sure he did it correctly. Surprisingly, Potter seemed to be quite competent at following precise instructions. Just as he thought of that, Potter did what he always did with Draco's belief of him not being a complete, utter idiot. Gray eyes widened in horror as Potter's hand released all the chopped pieces in the cauldron at once, gravity working faster than Draco could react and them plopping in the liquid with a small splash against cauldron's walls. 

He wanted to scream at Potter, to yell _how stupid can you be, you bloody bastard_ \- but as red smoke rose from the cauldron, which also seemed to shake slightly, Draco could only let his instincts work. He pushed at Potter's chest as fast as one could, and that made a surprised yelp as he was sent stumbling onto the floor. Draco's other hand went for his wand, and he opened his mouth to cast a protection charm. However, a puff of the smoke made its way into his nostrils before he managed to seal the cauldron and the small space around it in a barrier. 

"What the hell, Malfoy-" Draco heard Potter as that got up from where he was sprawled earlier.

That was the last thing he could focus on as a pain, rivalling _Cruciatus_ curse, hit his chest and he gasped for air. He was thoroughly fucked. Dropping his wand, his hands went for his throat as if trying to pry off the invisible force choking him. Tears formed in his eyes and spilled freely down his pale cheeks. A choking sound too loud for his own ears made its way out from his parted lips. Merlin's beard, was he going to _die_? He couldn't breathe through his nose either, because a second earlier he felt something warm dripping on his upper lip and his oxygen deprived brain deduced that it was blood.

Fucking hell. Fuck fuck fuck-

Faintly, he heard commotion around him, surprised gasps and shrieks, but couldn't concentrate on anything. His consciousness slipped away as he still tried desperately to get some air into his lungs. But how long could someone writhe, trying to survive? His limbs finally gave in and he fell. Before darkness engulfed him completely, he felt someone grasping and holding him in their arms.

* * *

When he regained his consciousness, Draco felt like he just died and came back. Every part of his body throbbed with dull pain. Hearing distant voices, he slowly opened his eyes, focusing them on the white ceiling above. So, he was still alive, huh. 

As he tried to move his limbs, pain shot through him like lightning and he winced. As soon as the sound left his chapped lips, there was a loud bang and a mop of dark hair came into his view.

"Malfoy." he heard the person sigh with relief. Looking at their face, Draco recognized Potter and his stupid scar and his stupid glasses. Closing his eyes, he groaned.

"Malfoy," Potter sounded weirdly concerned " _Draco_ , are you okay?"

Silver eyes blinked open and Draco frowned at Potter as threateningly as he could manage while lying in a hospital bed, unable to move around properly because of the hellish pain shooting through his body at paced intervals. He was far from okay, but he grunted softly when Potter's face turned into a worried one. _What the heck_.

He heard Potter exhale, and followed him with his gaze as that sat back on his chair and got out of Draco's personal space. 

"I-" Potter started, gulping audibly "I'm sorry, Malfoy."

Draco blinked at him confused for a moment before all came crashing down on his mind. Images of Potter's hand dropping the ingredients in cauldron, his own hand pushing at Potter's firm chest, and the pain, the choking, _dying_ -

Potter made an alarming sound at his side and Draco felt cold hands grabbing at his face, Potter's green eyes staring into his, bewildered, panicked as he chanted under his breath, inches away from Draco's lips "Breathe, Draco, _breathe_ -"

He gasped, blinking rapidly as wetness tainted his cheeks. Potter's trembling fingers wiped at his face and Draco found himself looking at those eyes, seeing deep emotion in them and it was confusing as hell. Potter's hands let go of his face and dropped at his sides, fingers clenching into fists.

"I..." Potter made a frustrated noise, as if battling with his thoughts "I'm really sorry, Draco." he said, in the end, staring at anything but Draco's face. 

"If you are so sorry," Draco replied, his voice thick and raspy "then from now on," At this point, green met gray and Draco's lips turned up into his usual smirk "I'm brewing our potions."

It was somehow delightful, seeing Potter's- _Harry's_ features relax, a huge grin splitting his stupid- _stupidly handsome_ face and a hearty laugh reverberating in that chest. Somehow, Draco _knew_ why he did what he did. It was purely instinctual and Draco was more than willing to trust his instincts.

**Author's Note:**

> Uh oh, I have a tendency to hurt my favorite characters. Sorry, Draco, darling (｡•́︿•̀｡)


End file.
